Missteps by Iraqi Forces in Battle Raise Questions — Iraqi forces were surprised and nearly overwhelmed by the ferocity of an obscure renegade militia in a weekend battle near the holy city of Najaf and needed far more help from American forces than previously disclosed, American and Iraqi officials said Monday.

Dispatches From the Scooter Libby Trial — I wanted to raise my hand and ask, "Your Honor, may I approach the bench?" — I was at the Scooter Libby trial to cover it, and all of a sudden, I found myself in the middle of the case. In his testimony today, former White House press secretary …

The Ba-Da-Boom Crew — If you've been following the Lewis "Scooter" Libby perjury trial, I can understand how you might confuse Dick Cheney with Tony Soprano. Cheney's office is beginning to sound a lot like the Bada Bing, minus the dancers. — Court has been in session for only a week …

Bush Directive Increases Sway on Regulation — President Bush has signed a directive that gives the White House much greater control over the rules and policy statements that the government develops to protect public health, safety, the environment, civil rights and privacy.

We're very proud, bomber's family declares — The mother of Muhammad Faisal Saksak, the 21-year-old suicide bomber who carried out Monday's attack in Eilat, said she was aware of her son's plan to blow himself up and that she had wished him "good luck." — Dozens of Palestinians …

Europe Resists U.S. Push to Curb Iran Ties — European governments are resisting Bush administration demands that they curtail support for exports to Iran and that they block transactions and freeze assets of some Iranian companies, officials on both sides say.

With Iran Ascendant, U.S. Is Seen at Fault — DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Kuwait rarely rebuffs its ally, the United States, partly out of gratitude for the 1991 Persian Gulf War. But in October it reneged on a pledge to send three military observers to an American-led naval exercise in the Gulf …

Romney's business skills face a political test — Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, with his wife, Anne, is billing himself as a turnaround artist in his bid for the presidency. In his book "Turnaround," he writes of how he applied his business approach to the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Only the US hawks can save the Iranian president now — Ahmadinejad is failing to deliver for the poor and losing support, but he could yet survive because of the international threat — The honeymoon is over. Iran's controversial president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has finally come unstuck.

The 'Democrat majority' is still the talk of the capital — WASHINGTON — Will President Bush put the "-ic" back in "Democratic"? — That was the hot topic around Washington on Monday after the president was asked why, during his State of the Union address last week, he referred to Congress' new "Democrat majority."

Unfilled tunnels a weak link at border — Key points are plugged in U.S. and Mexico, but smugglers may still try to reuse the passages — SAN DIEGO — Seven of the largest tunnels discovered under the U.S.-Mexico border in recent years have yet to be filled in, authorities said …

U.S. missile defense maturing, latest test a success — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Within a year, the U.S. missile defense system should be able to guard against enemy attacks, while testing new technologies, the deputy director of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said on Monday.

As Iraqi refugees flee, let's not forget Vietnam — At a hearing on Capitol Hill two weeks ago, a young Iraqi gave gripping testimony of the price paid by his countrymen who have risked their lives serving the U.S. occupation. The 27-year-old former military translator …

All the Old Dudes — "A man could make a fortune selling Geritol to these people." — Capitalist stooge that I am, that was my first reaction upon reaching the Washington Mall last Saturday to observe tens of thousands of demonstrators rally against the war in Iraq.

A Global Balancing Act — Dani Rodrik, a trade economist at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, received his introduction to the idiosyncrasies of globalization while growing up in Turkey. — His father made ballpoint pens, protected by high tariffs from less expensive imports.

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